Just Breathe
by mavjade
Summary: Jack has a moment of panic after all that has happened. Jack/Ianto. Angst, Hurt/Comfort. Spoilers for 2x13 Exit Wounds!


_Hello all! While this isn't my first fanfic, this is my first Torchwood fic so please leave a review and let me know what you think!_

_I hope you enjoy! _

_-- Mav_

**_SPOILERS FOR 2X13 EXIT WOUNDS!! _**

* * *

He came back to consciousness with something in his mouth and in his throat, keeping him from breathing. His immediate thought was that he was still underground serving his penance for losing his brother when they were both so young, so long ago. He knew death would come again quickly and he looked forward to it.

Many people said that suffocation was one of the best ways to die, peaceful even, but from personal experience, Jack knew better. It certainly wasn't the worst way to die, far from it actually, but there was nothing peaceful about it.

The feeling of not getting air into your lungs was excruciating, your brain demanding that it get what it wants, your heart pounding in your chest trying to keep up with the demand your body is making. He knows that no matter how long he holds his breath to keep the dirt out, lack of oxygen to the brain will eventually make him pass out, and then he will breath, whether there is oxygen or not.

It finally occurs to him that he shouldn't have had that long to think about all of this. Usually, he takes a huge gasp as he comes back to life, choking on the ever increasing amounts of dirt in his mouth and throat and proceeds to die again in his own circle of life. This time he could swear he heard people talking to him, voices calling out his name, voices he knew but couldn't quite place.

"Jack, you have to calm down." The voice sounded almost panicked.

It was then he noticed an extreme pressure on the inside of his chest, not on the outside like it had been from the dirt. No, this was a completely new feeling.

"Seriously Jack, you need to calm down." The voice repeated. "Ianto, see if you can do anything."

Ianto. He knew that name, he could never forget it.

He felt a warm breath against his ear, "Jack, I know you are scared but I promise your fine now. You need to listen to Owen and try to relax."

So the voice was Owen's. A part of him felt bad for not figuring that out, but 2000 years was a long time to remember such a detail.

Doing as Ianto asked, Jack managed to calm down a little. Curiosity got the better of him and he decided to try and pry his eyes open to see the faces he hadn't seen in so long, one face in particular. But the moment his eyelids cracked open he slammed them shut again to keep the bright light from burning his eyes. He heard something about turning down the lights, and decided it was safe to try and open them again. It was still too bright, but tolerable.

The first thing he saw was what he thought was Ianto's face right above him. It took several moments for his face to come into focus but when it did he saw that tear tracks marked Ianto's face, though his eyes were now dry and a small smile played on his lips.

"Hi."

Jack tried to respond only to be choked once again on what was in his mouth. For a moment he feared that all of this was a hallucination and he was still in his grave. Panic once again started to consume him, but instead of everything disappearing as he knew it soon would --vanishing into the darkness yet again-- Ianto's face was replaced by Owen's.

"You have a tube down your throat to help you breath, don't fight it. We had to put it there to get the dirt out of your lungs. I'll take it out if you will just stay calm, okay?"

Jack nodded his head to show Owen he understood, and began to relax as much as he could. He wanted the tube out, now.

The head of the bed was raised so that Jack was practically sitting up, and Owen explained what he was going to do.

On Owen's command Jack did his best to cough as the tube was pulled from his throat. The choking sensation reappeared but was quickly followed by a burning feeling, not unlike the one when he couldn't breath at all, but this time it was the burning feeling of his lungs doing the breathing all on their own.

As he was coughing, Ianto sat down beside him on the bed and placed a tentative hand on Jack's back. He didn't know how much comfort he could be to a man who had been tortured so long, but he was willing to do all he could.

Ianto placed a straw up to Jack's lips and allowed him to take a small sip of water. It was the best thing Jack had felt in what might as well have been forever.

Jack opened his mouth to say thank you, but Ianto stopped him before he could get the first syllable out.

"Just breathe, Jack. Just breathe."


End file.
